Tacking latch for stapling machines



June 5, 1962 E. J. LASH 3,037,206

TACKING LATCH FOR STAPLING MACHINES Filed Feb. 10, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1v/4 g===\ v /2 m. I um um um I W A /9 W- 1 INVENTOR. /9 /9 ELLIOTT J.LASH BY wk June 5, 1962 E. J. LASH 3, 7

TACKING LATCH FOR STAPLING MACHINES Filed Feb. 10, 1960 s Sheets-Sheet 2Fig- 5 INVENTOR. ELL/GT7 J. LASH BY ,9. pm 5,

June 5, 1962 E. J. LASH 3,037,206

TACKING LATCH FOR STAPLING MACHINES Filed Feb. 10, 1960 s Sheets-Sheet:s

llllll 1' Z 9 29a 2a 52 31 II! I INVENTOR.

ELLIOTT 1 LASH Q L M AT TORNE) United States Patent Ofifice 3,037,206Patented June 5, 1962 3,037,206 TACKING LATCH FOR STAPLING MACHINESElliott J. Lash, Seaford, N.Y., assignor to Ace Fastener Corporation,Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 10, 1960, Ser. No.7,809 7 Claims. (Cl. 1-3) This invention relates to a tacking latch forstapling machines which have a base and a magazine pivotally connectedto the base. The tacking latch permits the magazine to be connected tothe base for stapling but permits the base to be swung away from themagazine by actuating the latch when it is desired to utilize themachine as a tacker.

It is preferable, in tacking latch constructions, to require the latchto be released manually to swing the base away from the magazine. Thereleasing action should be consciously performed by the operator toprevent releasing of the base from the magazine when tacking is notdesired.

The tacking latch of the instant invention carries out the functions ofsuch device in an efficient and workmanlike manner. The latch is easilyapplied to stapling machines and is simple, foolproof, and relativelyinexpensive to manufacture.

The instant invention may be briefly described as comprising, in astapling machine having a base and a magazine pivotally connected to thebase, the improvement of a support member upon the base having engagingmeans thereupon, a latching member upon the magazine havingcomplementary engaging means thereupon, and means for engaging anddisengaging the support member from the latching member.

In the specific modification of this invention, as set fotrh in thedrawings, a rail is provided Within the magazine having a pair of spacedupstanding portions and a base thereupon. The base of the rail issecured to the interior face of the base of the magazine. A pair ofspaced openings are provided at the base of the magazine which registerwith an additional pair of spaced openings provided at the base of therail. The support member is bifurcated and is at least partiallydisposable within the said openings. A guide rod is provided within themagazine, a follower is disposed upon the guide rod, and a spring isprovided between the follower and the latching member.

The specific form of the invention also contains some additionalconstructional features as are set forth in some of the limited claimsin this case. The above description, however, sets forth the principalfeatures of such specific modification.

Various other objects and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent as the description herein proceeds.

The invention will now be further described by reference to theaccompanying drawings which are made a part of this specification.

FIG. .1 is a fragmentary side view of a stapling machine embodying thetacking latch of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the stapling machine shown in FIG. 1 takenalong lines 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the stapling machine shown in FIG. 2 takenalong lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of a stapling machine, including the tacking latchof this invention, with the word press shown upon the handle portion ofthe latching member of the device so as to illustrate the direction ofmovement of the latch.

FIG. 5 is a detailed perspective view, partly in section, of thelatching member and associated parts of the tacking latch of thisinvention,

FIG. 6 is a sectional view through the stapling machine shown in FIG. 2taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan bottom view in open tacking position of thestapling machine having the tacking latch of this invention.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the form of the invention shownin FIG. 3 taken along lines 8-8 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view along lines 9-9 of FIG. 8.

Referring to the drawings for a detailed description of this invention,the stapling machine 11 is formed with a base 12, a hanger 13 upon saidbase, which is. formed with a pair of upstanding portions 13a, an anvil14 upon said base and a magazine 15 pivotally connected by hingepin 16between the upstanding portions 13a of hanger .13.

Anvil 14 is movable upon base 12 and is secured in two specificpositions by downwardly depending members 17 and spring 18.

Base 12 also bears supporting feet 19 which are secured into position byrivets 20.

A bottom cover 21 is secured to base 12 by tongue portion 22 disposedabove front foot 19and by springable portions 23.

A bottom portion 25 joins the two sides of hanger 13 to one another andis secured to the underside of base 12 by rivets 26.

A recess 27 is provided within base member 12 and a springable lowersupport member 28 disposed within said recess and secured into positionby portion 27 of hanger 13. A support member 29, having a pair ofbifurcated portions 29a, is movably retained within a recess in base 12.Each of portions 29a are formed with hook portions 30 at their upperends. An upper support member 31 integral with bifurcated portions 292:joins each of members 29a to one another and also retains spring 32therewithin.

In the preferred modification of this invention, although not necessaryfor the operation thereof, recess. 27 within base 12 is larger thansupport member 29 so that support member 29 is pivotally movable withrespect to base member 12, thereby producing smoother engagement of theportions of the tacking latch of this invention.

Magazine 15 is equipped with rail 33 which is formed with a base portion34 and lateral upstanding spaced portions 35,v

R-ail 33 bears a front upstanding portion 37 and a rear upstandingportion 38. Front upstanding portion 37 is provided withhole 39therewithin and rear upstanding portion 38 is provided with hole 40therewithin. Follower guide rod 41 is disposed within holes 39 and 40and is secured into position upon magazine 15 by snap ring 42.

Follower 43 is slidably disposed upon follower guide rod 41 by means ofan opening 44 within follower 43. A follower retracting member 45 issecured to follower 43 by rivet 46.

The base 47 of magazine 15 is provided with spaced openings 48 and thebase '34 of rail 33 are provided with additional spaced openings 49which register with openings 48. Support member 29 is at least partiallydisposable within the openings 4849.

A latching member 50 is formed a base portion 51 which is adapted to liealong the inner face 52 of rail 33 and is partially disposable withinrecesses 36 Within upstanding portions 35 of rail 33.

A coil spring 53 is disposable upon guide rod 41 between follower 43 andlatching member 51 and normally tends to push follower 43 forwardly andlatching member 51 rearwardly.

Latching member 51 also bears a handle portion 57 which is offset fromits base portion 51 and is partially disposed within an opening 58 inthe rear of magazine 15. Handle portion 57 is further disposed overhingeof registration with openings 4849.

pin 16 and bears an additional offset actuating portion 59 at the rearthereof. Handle portion 57 is also provided with an opening 62therewithin.

Base portion 51 of latching member 50 is further provided with anadditional pair of openings 60 which are adapted to abut hook portions30 of support member 29. A portion 61 of base portion 51 is disposedforward of openings 60.

With the foregoing specific description of the parts of the inventionthe operation thereof will now be explained.

The stapling machine embodying the tacking latch of this invention isfirst assumed to be in stapling position with the tacking latch engaged.In this position spring 53 pushes follower 43 forwardly and latchingmember 50 rearwardly. The forward part of base portion 51 is also heldagainst upward displacement by recesses 36.

As can be seen in the drawings, when latching member 50 is in the aboveposition openings 60 are out Hook portions 30 of support member 29 arethus held in engaged position by portion 61 of latching member 50.

Thus, in this position, while magazine can move downwardly against anvil14 for stapling action, magazine 15 can not move above the engagementpoint of hook portions 30 with latching member 50.

If tacking is now desired so that base 12 is to be swung away frommagazine 15, all the operator need do is to push actuating portion 59 inthe press direction as shown in FIG. 4. This pressure moves latchingmember 50 forwardly against the pressure of spring 53. The forwardmovement is stopped by the abutment of actuating portion 57 against therear of magazine 15. This movement causes openings 60 to register withopenings 48-49 and thus permits hook portions 30 to be removed fromtheir engaged position. The base 12 can now be swung away from magazine15 for tacking.

When tacking has been completed and the stapling machine is to be placedin stapling position, all that need be done is to swing base 12 andmagazine 15 into normal alignment. Hook portions 30 then enter openings4849 and then bear against portion 61 of latching member 50. The forceexerted upon portion 61 forces it forwardly against the pressure ofspring 53 thus causing hook portions 30 to enter openings 60. Once hookportions 30 enter openings 60 spring 53 pushes latching member 50rearwardly and thus lock the parts into position.

Where support member 29 is made pivotally movable the engagement of theparts is facilitated by the simultaneous pivotal movement of supportmember 29 with the forward movement of portion 61 so that smootherengagement of the parts is accomplished.

The parts are assembled to one another by taking the completed assemblyof magazine 15 and rail 33 and thence taking guide rod 41 and disposingsnap ring 42 thereupon outside and rearward of the recess (not shown)therewithin. Guide rod 41 is then inserted into hole 39 in frontupstanding portion 37 and pushed forward as far as it will go. Follower43 is slidably placed upon guide rod 41 and spring 53 disposed behindfollower 43. Base portion 51 of latching member 50 is pushed throughopening 58 (the sides of magazine 15 can be pushed apart somewhat toease the assembly if necessary) and the most forward portion of baseportion 51 of latching member 50 disposed within recesses 36 within rail33.

Guide rod 41 is then inserted into hole 62 within handle portion 57 andthence into hole in rear upstanding portion 38 and pushed back as far asit will go. Snap ring 42 is then disposed into the recess (not shown)within guide rod 41 so as to hold the parts in place.

Magazine 15 is then placed between u standing portions 13a of hanger 13and hinge-pin 16 jriven into the aligned openings within portions 13aand magazine 15 so as to secure the parts into position.

The foregoing specific embodiments of this invention as set forth in thespecification herein are for illustrative purposes and for purposes ofexample only.

Various changes and modifications can obviously be made within thespirit and scope of this invention and would occur to those skilled inthis art.

I claim:

1. In a stapling machine having a base, a magazine pivotally connectedto said base, a follower guide rod within said magazine, and a followermovable along said follower guide rod, the improvement which comprises apair of spaced openings at the base of said magazine, a bifurcatedsupport member upon said base extending upwardly therefrom, eachbifurcation of said support member extending through said openings atthe base of said magazine and having engaging means at the ends thereof;an axially movable latching member at one end of said magazine having apair of spaced openings therein registering with said magazine openings,and a coil spring disposed upon said follower guide rod between saidlatching member and said follower, said coil spring urging said latchingmember into latched engagement with said engaging means.

2. In a stapling machine having a base, a magazine pivotally connectedto said base, a follower guide rod within said magazine, and a followermovable along said follower guide rod, the improvement which comprises apair of spaced openings at the base of said magazine, a bifurcatedpivotally movable support member upon said base extending upwardlytherefrom, each bifurcation of said support member extending throughsaid openings at the base of said magazine and having engaging means atthe ends thereof; an axially movable latching member at one end of saidmagazine having a pair of openings therein registering with saidmagazine openings, a coil spring disposed upon said follower guide rodbetween said latching member and said follower, and an additional springconnected to said support member, said coil spring normally urging saidlatching member into latched engagement with said engaging means.

3. In a stapling machine having a base, a magazine pivotally connectedto said base, a rail Within said mag azine, and a follower axiallymovable within said magazine, the improvement which comprises an openingat the base of said magazine, a support member upon said base extendingupwardly therefrom having engaging means at the end thereof, saidsupport member extending through said opening at the base of saidmagazine, an additional opening at the rear of said magazine, an axiallymovable latching member having a base portion adapted to lie along theinner face of the base of said magazine and an offset handle portionadapted to be at least partially disposed within said additionalopening, said lower portion of said latching member also having secondengaging means thereupon registering with and complementary to saidfirst engaging means upon said support member, and spring means disposedbetween said offset portion of said latching member and said follower.

4. In a stapling machine having a base, a magazine pivotally connectedto said base, a rail within said magazine, and a follower axiallymovable within said magazine, the improvement which comprises a pair ofspaced openings at the base of said magazine, a bifurcated supportmember upon said base extending upwardly therefrom, each bifurcation ofsaid support member having engaging means at the ends thereof extendingthrough said openings at the base of said magazine, an additionalopening at the rear of said magazine, an axially movable latching memberhaving a base portion adapted to lie along the inner face of the base ofsaid magazine and an offset handle portion adapted to be at leastpartially disposable within said additional opening, said lower portionof said latching member also having second engaging means thereuponregistering with and complementary to said first engaging means on saidsupport member, and spring means disposed between said offset portion ofsaid latching member and said follower.

5. In a stapling machine having a base, a magazine having a base portionand pivotally connected to the base of said machine, a rail within saidmagazine having a pair of spaced upstanding portions and a base portionthereupon, a follower and a follower guide rod connected to said rail,said follower being slidable on said follower guide rod, the improvementwhich comprises a pair of spaced first openings at the base of saidmagazine and a pair of spaced second openings at the base of said railin registration therewith, an upwardly extending pivotally movablebifurcated support member upon said base having hooked portions at theupper part of each of said bifurcations, each bifurcation beingpartially disposable within said first and second openings, a springmember upon said support member, an additional opening at the rear ofsaid magazine, an axially movable latching member having a base portionextending along the inner face of the base of said magazine and anoffset handle portion partially disposed within said additional opening,said base portion of said latching member also having a pair of spacedrecesses engageable with said hooked members, said offset portion ofsaid latching member being also provided with an opening therewithin toaccommodate one end of said guide rod, and coil spring means disposedbetween said latching member and said follower urging said latchingmember into latched engagement with said hooked portion of said supportmember.

6. In a stapling machine having a base, a magazine having a base portionand pivotally connected to the base of said machine, a rail within saidmagazine having a pair of spaced upstanding portions and a base portionthereupon, a follower guide rod connected to said rail, and a followerconnected to and movable along said follower guide rod, the improvementwhich comprises a slot within each of the upstanding portions of saidrail, a pair of spaced first openings at the base of said magazine and apair of spaced second openings at the base of said rail in registrationtherewith, an upwardly extending pivotally movable bifurcated supportmember upon said base having engaging portions thereupon, eachbifurcation of said support member extending through said first andsecond openings; a first spring member upon said support member, anadditional opening at the rear of said magazine, an axially movablelatching member having a base portion extending along the inner face ofthe base of said magazine, said base portion partially disposed withinthe slots in the upstanding portions of said rail, and an offset handleportion partially disposed within said additional opening, said baseportion of said latching member also having complementary engaging meansthereupon, said offset portion of said latching member being alsoprovided with an opening therewithin to accommodate one end of saidguide rod, and coil spring means disposed between said latching memberand said follower urging said latching member into latched engagementwith said engaging portion.

7. In a stapling machine having a base, a magazine having a base portionpivotally connected to the base of said machine, a rail within saidmagazine having a pair of spaced upstanding portions and a basethereupon, a follower guide rod connected to said rail and a followerconnected to and movable along said follower guide rod, the improvementwhich comprises a slot within each of the upstanding portions of saidrail, a pair of spaced first openings at the base of said magazine and apair of spaced second openings at the base of said rail in registrationtherewith, an upwardly extending pivotally movable bifurcated supportmember upon said base having hooks at the upper portions thereof, eachbifurcation of said sup port member extending through said first andsecond openings, a first spring member upon said support member, anadditional opening at the rear of said magazine, an axially movablelatching member having a base portion disposed along the inner face ofthe base of said magazine, said base portion partially disposed withinthe slots in the upstanding portions of said rail, and an offset handleportion partially disposed within said additional opening, said baseportion of said latching member being provided with a pair of spacedrecesses engageable with said hooks, said offset portion of saidlatching member being also provided with a second opening therewithin toaccommodate one end of said guide rod, and coil spring means disposedbetween said latching member and said follower urging said latchingmember into latched engagement with said hooks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,037,334 Maynard Apr. 14, I936 2,073,958 Crosby Mar. 16, 1937 2,271,926Pankonin Feb. 3, 1942 2,358,317 Crosby Sept. 19, 1944 2,512,172 OlneyJune 20, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 873,121 France June 30, 1942

